Same-Gender and Cross-Gender Likeability: Associations With Popularity and Status Enhancement: The TRAILS study

Abstract

This study examined the associations of popularity, substance use, athletic abilities, physical attractiveness, and physical and relational aggression with likeability by same-gender and cross-gender peers among early adolescents ( N = 3,312; M age = 13.60, with 92.7% of the participants in the 12-14 age range). Data collection consisted of peer nominations in 172 classrooms of 34 secondary schools. Taking a goal-framing perspective, it was argued that key to understanding the association between popularity and likeability is the distinction between features that help to achieve popularity and features that help to maintain popularity. In support of our hypotheses, popularity and substance use, athletic abilities, and physical attractiveness (characteristics that help to become popular) contributed significantly to likeability, whereas physical and relational aggression (characteristics that help to maintain popularity) negatively predicted likeability. These specific nature of these effects depended on the reference group (same-gender vs. other-gender peers) and were further moderated by popularity.

Are Peer Status, Friendship Quality, and Friendship Stability Equivalent Markers of Social Competence?

“…For instance, peer acceptance provides children with feelings of group acceptance in a larger context (Bukowski et al 1993), promotes feelings of belongingness (Bukowski et al 1993), grants access to more potential social partners (Bukowski et al 1996), and helps children form an identity as part of a group (Furman and Robbins 1985). Peer status in the form of popularity affords visibility in the peer group and the power to influence others (Cillessen and Rose 2005;RoseKrasnor 1997), as well as access to more friends and potential romantic partners (Bukowski et al 1996;Carlson and Rose 2007;Dijkstra et al 2010a). Popular youth are also the object of desired friendships among their peers, as adolescents report that they would ideally like to be friends with popular, well-liked, and aggressive peers, more than they desire friendships with peers who are considered prosocial and kind (i.e., qualities that might make a good friend; Thomas and Bowker 2013).…”

Having and being an other-sex crush during early adolescence

“…The current study built on previous research by testing the associations between being a crush or crush scores (receiving many peer nominations as a crush) and peer nominations of physical attractiveness, physical aggression, relational aggression, popularity, and likeability. Distinctions were made between same-sex and other-sex nominations in light of recent findings that same-sex and other-sex peers provide unique information about adolescents' behavior and social relationships (Bukowski, Gauze, Hoza, & Newcomb, 1993;Card, Hodges, Little, & Hawley, 2005;Dijkstra, Cillessen, Lindenberg, & Veenstra, 2009;Dijkstra, Lindenberg, & Veenstra, 2007;Poulin & Dishion, 2008).…”

“…In contrast, well-liked adolescents appear to have high status because they are viewed as kind and prosocial (e.g., Parkhurst & Hopmeyer, 1998). Both types of high social status are associated with physical attractiveness (de Bruyn & Cillessen, 2006;Dijkstra et al, 2009) and heterosexual romantic relationship involvement during early adolescence (Carlson & Rose, 2007). Therefore, it was expected that both other-sex popularity and other-sex likeability would be positively associated with crush scores.…”

Peer Status and Aggression as Predictors of Dating Popularity in Adolescence

“…The source of peer liking may also play a role. Perhaps not surprisingly, dating popularity was more closely related to being liked by the opposite sex than to being liked by same-sex peers in a study of adolescents (Dijkstra et al 2010).…”